Variety Vs. One Type of Ammo

[Hillbillyblood]

Buy what you like, most of us have a sickness BOOM!!

 

[CitiusFortius]

Does this make sense or am I over-thinking it?

Yes and yes. Get a gun that you enjoy buy the ammo that fits that gun. The OVERWHELMING majority of guns are used for 100% recreation, don't worry about the end of the world, stock up on what you like to shoot at the range. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[cce1302]

Variety. Because when your friend calls and says "I have a box of ammo, do you want it?" you can say "yes, I'll give you a hundred bucks for all of it" without worrying about the specifics.

You come home with this:

~200 rounds .45 acp
~45 rounds .357 magnum
~300 rounds .38 spl
~200 rounds 9mm
~200 rounds .40 S&W
~100 rounds 380
~200 rounds .22lr
handful of assorted other stuff

And you can use pretty much all of it except a few of the rifle rounds and the 380 (I'm giving that to my brother)

Results not guaranteed.

 

[LionWeight]

calibers

Well, my son and I collect firearms - All are in firing condition. We shoot almost every firearm we purchase, (my wife has a Mosin I know will shoot but it was made in her birth year so she doesn't want to shoot it). We have, as I recall about 35 calibers. We have ammo for all of the firearms we own and reloading equipment for all. We also have bullet molds for most, with equipment to add gas checks and size/lube rifle rounds. At present we keep about 30K of rounds in our stash and supplies to reload most of them. It is nice to see a bargain on a caliber at a gun show and purchase it knowing we have a gun to shoot it in. We do buy mostly in bulk (ammo and supplies) so have purchased a lot of ammo at low cost in the last 20 years.

I am fine, but can remember how many times I was in the stores looking at $8.00 bulk packs for 22 and $12.00 100 rd bulk packs of other ammo and thinking about picking it up, pausing and then.....NAH I got enough.

 

[Godbybe]

9mm, .223, 12ga, .22 at the least.

 

[Whip_McCord]

I guess for some folks, having just one caliber makes sense. I do not see it that way. I shoot a lot of different disciplines. Several calibers are needed to be able to do that. I have over 70 loads that I reload for 24 cartridges, plus shotgun. Some loads are for only one gun. Some guns share loads with others of the same caliber. It all depends on what load the gun shoots best. I have 11 different loads for 38 special. 8 loads for 44 mag. I only have 12 gauge shotguns, but I load several different loads for the 12. 22LR ammo is the same way. Some ammo may shoot great in a few guns, but other guns like other ammo.

I don't see any way to standardize on one cartridge or even one load for one cartridge. What I am shooting will determine what load I use.

 

[Drotis]

I started out in the 1 handgun caliber mode - 9mm. Then, "I really like those 1911 .45s", and "that .357 revolver is pretty cool too". It's too much fun to collect different styles and caliber a of handguns. That being said, nothing wrong with having a favorite caliber and stocking up on that ammo, while trying out them all!

 

[Jeremy1066]

If you stock up on one caliber, it won't matter if its hard to find later because you will have already stocked up on it.

 

[DemolitionMan]

I guess for some folks, having just one caliber makes sense. I do not see it that way. I shoot a lot of different disciplines. Several calibers are needed to be able to do that. I have over 70 loads that I reload for 24 cartridges, plus shotgun. Some loads are for only one gun. Some guns share loads with others of the same caliber. It all depends on what load the gun shoots best. I have 11 different loads for 38 special. 8 loads for 44 mag. I only have 12 gauge shotguns, but I load several different loads for the 12. 22LR ammo is the same way. Some ammo may shoot great in a few guns, but other guns like other ammo.

I don't see any way to standardize on one cartridge or even one load for one cartridge. What I am shooting will determine what load I use.

It all gets back to why you're using a firearm. It sounds like you're into competition and so it naturally makes sense that you would have specialized loads for varying conditions. I do the same for target shooting.

For defensive (or offensive for that matter) scenarios, there is a lot to be said for limiting the variety. That's why I want my BUG to have the same rounds (and if possible, mags) as my primary. Fewer opportunities to screw something up in the heat of the moment.

 

[12bee]

I decided to downsize a few years ago and just shoot 22's, 38/357, and 45acp. I have supplies to reload and at current component replacement costs, the 38's average 8.75/50rds and the 45's are 9.75/50rds. For now the 30/30 and 12ga gets factory ammo, but the 30/30 will get reloads once I have enough brass. Carry ammo is factory, not reloads, so I do buy a box or 2 of new every year or so.

 

[nascarfantoo]

Diversity is the spice of life.

+1

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I like to be familiar with any gun I'm likely to pick up, and I like to have something to fire any ammunition I'm likely to find in any kind of bulk. Yet to get into revolvers, but I've been leering at some .357s, otherwise I have .22, .380, 9x19, .40SW, .45ACP for pistols and .17HMR, .22, 5.56x45, 7mmRM, 300BLK (7.62x32), 7.62x39, 7.62x51 for rifles, plus 12ga and the ever popular 16ga (it was my dad's) for shot. Got bunches of all of them, plus reloading supplies.